On a mission to reduce our energy intake and environmental impact, not to mention our electric bill, we installed two new energy-efficient chillers below the Turbine Hall earlier this summer. What’s a chiller you ask? These are large machines that do most of the work controlling temperature throughout the museum. This is no small task in a building that accommodates over a thousand people a day!

It was anyone’s game by the time B Watch was stood-down that night. Noah Citron (the low-baller at 1,987 pieces) was close but not quite out. I was secretly rooting for Mike Gil (2,300 pieces). Mike was the only A Watcher in the pool, and the idea of him walking away with the entire bin of B Watch’s midnight snacks plus one vegan cupcake was more than a little entertaining. Being the only vegan in the pool, I wouldn’t be able to savor the victory snacks myself. I was, however, curious about the ship’s going-rate between baked goods and shower-day trades.

Clever Together opened this weekend in OMSI’s Earth Science Hall! When I first saw it, I thought “I need to bring every visiting friend to come see this!” The exhibit highlights so many sustainable practices and opportunities that are supported here in Portland. I realized when walking through the exhibit that these are all things that make me proud to live in this city.

The Pacific Northwest leads the nation in sustainable decision-making, the development of renewable technologies, and research into next-generation green materials. In order to reflect our region’s ongoing leadership in this important sector, OMSI has embarked on a long-term Energy & the Environment Initiative.